CSU's Welsummer SOP

[faykokoWV]

one thing all of the hens have had in common is the nice deep chestnut color around the face and throat area - I'd like to ask is this color appropriately dark and in the right areas? Also - I think most of us don't have the lighter penciling noted in the dutch birds. The penciling is one of the issues I notice being very heavy in some stock here in the US. I think the head shape is OK on all of these birds though??

 

[LisaBeth]

I think the beginning of this session stated comb, eyes, earlobes, beak and skull structure - so we have looked at the combs, and eyes, the beaks a bit...are we seeing any large problems with those? - haven't heard anything about earlobes and not a lot about skull structure - what are we lookin at with the examples we have posted? As far as SOP?
Obviously, I have an "eye color" issue in my few pullets...which needs addressing...the combs are ...passable...but also need further attention...now earlobes, beak, skull?

 

[maryhysong]

Well I finally got some pics of some I have; these girls are real camera shy!
First miss blue band, visiting from my friends house, Not positive of age, but probably over 1 yr. The missing point on her comb is from an accident. I think her eye color is ok, earlobes are red, she has a twist in her comb tho. Sorry I didn't get a straight on shot of her yet.



Another girl with a bad comb; she's molting and not laying at the moment. I'm pretty sure her ear lobes are all red when she's in lay. I think her eye color is also ok, just wondering tho should they be darker?

 

[Eissens]

Well I finally got some pics of some I have; these girls are real camera shy!
First miss blue band, visiting from my friends house, Not positive of age, but probably over 1 yr. The missing point on her comb is from an accident. I think her eye color is ok, earlobes are red, she has a twist in her comb tho. Sorry I didn't get a straight on shot of her yet.



Another girl with a bad comb; she's molting and not laying at the moment. I'm pretty sure her ear lobes are all red when she's in lay. I think her eye color is also ok, just wondering tho should they be darker?

They all have nice wattles, but I don't like their combs.
The first hen has a too fleshy comb and the combheel of the last hen is too short. The eye colour is oke, but it can be a little bit more intensive. When I had to choose between these two hens for my breeding pen, than I will choose the last one.

 

[Eissens]

I think the beginning of this session stated comb, eyes, earlobes, beak and skull structure - so we have looked at the combs, and eyes, the beaks a bit...are we seeing any large problems with those? - haven't heard anything about earlobes and not a lot about skull structure - what are we lookin at with the examples we have posted? As far as SOP?
Obviously, I have an "eye color" issue in my few pullets...which needs addressing...the combs are ...passable...but also need further attention...now earlobes, beak, skull?

Earlobes are normally not a problem, just as beak and skull structure.
Most of the problems can be seen in the combs, wattles and the eye colour.
Those parts are also the biggest problems in the Netherlands.

 

[Eissens]

This the head of a Welsumer bantam.
Look at her comb, she has a "fishtail".
Now you see not all the Dutch Welsumers are perfect exhibition birds.

 

[Eissens]

This is a typical UK utility Welsumer.
He is mine, hatched out of the eggs I took home from the UK.
What do you people say about his head?

 

[Happy Chooks]

This is a typical UK utility Welsumer.
He is mine, hatched out of the eggs I took home from the UK.
What do you people say about his head?

I'm far from being an expert, but I'll weigh in here.

I can't say much on his head, but his comb is far too large than what I read in our SOP. (and looks a bit pinched at the beak) Nice 5, evenly spaced points.

 

[Dr Bjorn Netland]

I'm far from being an expert, but I'll weigh in here.

I can't say much on his head, but his comb is far too large than what I read in our SOP. (and looks a bit pinched at the beak) Nice 5, evenly spaced points.

Marcel,
This cock has the problem many of our UK origin Welsummers in North America have: too large (and beefy) a comb, and a comb that goes too far onto the beak (overgrown front part), as well as wattles appearing to be too long and "open." His color looks good, though (but does he show any white at the base of the tail, in his sickle feathers, or in his primary flights, which often is a problem here?) Also, what about stubs and down between his toes? The hen in the background looks pretty nice from afar, at least by the APA SOP. Your contributions are invaluable in inspiring this discussion, so thank you very much.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Your contributions are invaluable in inspiring this discussion, so thank you very much.

Most definitely, so thank you Marcel for your input here.